Calleja believes that the match against SC Portugal is a chance to ‘carry on growing’
Villarreal head coach Javi Calleja explained in his pre-match press conference ahead of the tie with Sporting Clube de Portugal (Thursday, 9pm CET, Estádio José Alvalade) that a win would be a massive boost to morale for the Yellows, who are going into the game with the idea of continuing to grow. “The match has arrived when it had to arrive. We are keen on carrying on our improvement, and we are going to compete and try and do our job as best as possible. After, we’ll think about the league, but we have to continue the growth we’ve shown in each match. The wins are going to come because we are playing well. If we win in Lisbon, we’ll leave there stronger and it will give us confidence ahead of the Sevilla match.”
For the manager, the team is preparing for the games well, and the results are just around the corner. “The wins are going to come because we are playing well. I’m happy with what we’re doing at the moment and changing won’t be a good thing. Because of that, we need to carry on believing in what we’re doing.”
Calleja also analysed the Portuguese side, underlining their strength in attack. “They need to play to their strengths and they’re playing at home. They are a very offensive team due to the characteristics of their team, and they want to play in the opposition’s half. We’ve studied them and we know them, and we know that defensively they aren’t as strong. They let in goals, but we’re finding it hard to score, and we need to turn this around. If Sporting are conceding, we need to exploit this and make the most of that fact.”
Javi Fuego: “I don’t distinguish between matches. It’s a great chance to improve”
Alongside Calleja, midfielder Javi Fuego also appeared in front of the press, explaining that the match would be a challenge to get better as a team. “We’re going into the match with ambition and excitement. Personally, I don’t distinguish between matches and I think it’s a great opportunity to improve and legitimise the good work we’ve been doing in recent games with a win.”
